Skidway for sawmills



PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

C. L. TROMBLBY.vv SKIDWAY PoR SAWMILLS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 2. 1903.

No MODEL.

f wmmumw. .....Wd l --.v l l I l l /d/ n f/ i "e rlllll.. I nllllll m Y INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATESv atented February 2, 1,904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SKIDWAY FOR SAWMILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 750,911," dated February 2, 1904.

Application led October 2, 1903. Serial No. 175,466. (No modelo T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. TROMBLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grayling, in the county of Crawford and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skidways for Sawmills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a device to be used in connection with the skids of sawmills to facili-v tate the loading of logs from the skids onto the log-carriers. Y

It is customary in practice to locate the front end of the skid-timbers, commonly called the skid-nose, below that part of the carriage that carries the log, commonly called the block This is done in order that the carriage may move freely back and forth without striking the front end of the skid-timbers and also to give clearance for knots on the log; otherwise such projections would strike the skid-timbers in the rapid back-and-forth movement of the carriage and either knock the log from the carriage or injure the skids. Keeping the skid-timbers below the blocks, as above described, makes it necessary in loading the logs from the skid-timbers onto the blocks to lift the weight of the log. This involves eXtra work on the part of the log loader and is a source of delay iniplacing the log on the carriage.

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple device that will permit the log to be loaded from the skids direct to the carriage without lifting the weight of the log and to so construct this device that it will swing out of the way to allow any projection on the log to pass by when the log moves back and forth with the carriage and that will automatically return to its original position as soon as the interfering projection has passed.

The improvement consists in the parts, their arrangement and combination, and the equivalents thereof, as shown in the accompanying drawings and fully set forth in the specification and claims of this application.

In the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of the skidway with my improvement attached. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same broken away in parts.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the device consists in an oscillating plate 1, pivotally mounted on the skid-timbers 2, so that its end may swing laterally in a horizontal plane. The plate 1 is rigidly fixed to the upper end of the vertical shaft 3, which has a laterallyprojecting arm 5, capable of oscillating in a horizontal plane as the shaft 3 turns to the right or left. The lower end of the shaft 3 is preferably provided with a suitable bearing 4 and the upper end is provided with a boX or bearing 4a, carried by the skid-timbers. I prefer to secure the plate 1 to the shaft 3 by providing on the top of the shaft a rectangular head 3a, which fits in a corresponding recess 1a, formed in the top of the plate 1, the top of the head 3iL being iiush with the top of the plate 1. From the outer end of the arm 5 depends a iieXible cord or-rope 6, to the lower end of which is attached a suitable weight 7. A pair of rollers 8 8 are arranged at each side of the cord 6, so that the cord in being pulled up by the lateral movement of the arm 5 will pass over one of the rollers and thus raise the weight 7.

The operation of the device is as follows: The log is rolled from the skidway direct onto the carriage, it being unnecessary to lift the log, since the top of the plate l, over which the log rolls, is level or nearly level with the top of Vthe block on the carriage. The log being secured on the carriage in the usual way, the carriage moves back and forth while the log is vbeing cut. ness in the log which would otherwise interfere with a skidway level with the block will strike the outer end of the plate 1, rotating it and the shaft 3 and drawing the arm 5 to one side. The cord 6 is pulled up, raising the weight 7, and as soon as the projection on the' log has passed the plate l is pulled back by the action of the weight 7 into its original position. In Fig. 2 I have shown a top view of the log, a projecting part of which is moving past the plate l, swinging it to one side,

Any projection or uneven-` as just described. In practice two or more plates are employed on a skidway, there being one plate for each of the ways 2.

While I have shown and described the weight 7, the cord 6, and rollers 8 for yieldingly retaining the plate 1 in its normal position, I do not coniine myself to this construction, as suitable springs or equivalent devices might be used in Ilieu of the cord and weight to yieldingly hold the plate l in its normal position and to return it automatically after it has been pushed aside by a projection on the log.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. The combination with the skidway having its end located below the level of the carriageblock; of a plate pivotally mounted on the skidway and having its outer end in proximity to the block; the top of said plate being substantially level with the top of the block; means for yieldingly holding the plate in its normal position, and automatically rotating the plate to its normal position when the outer end of the plate has been displaced by contact with a log.

2. The combination with the skidway having its end located below the level of the carriageblock; of an oscillating plate mounted on the skidway in proximity to the block, the top of the plate being substantially level with the top of the block; a vertical shaft rigidly fixed at one end to the said plate, and adapted to oscillate with theplate; and means attached to said shaft for yieldingly holding the plate in its normal position and for automatically returning the plate to its normal position when the plate has been oscillated, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with the skidway having its end located below the level of the carriageblocl; of an oscillating plate mounted on the skidway in proximity to the block, the top of the plate being substantially level with the top of the block; a vertical shaft rigidly fixed at one end to said plate, and adapted to oscillate with the plate; a horizontally-projecting arm carried by said shaft; a depending cord secured to said arm, a weight secured to said cord, and rollers for guiding said cord.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. TROMBLEY. Witnesses:

C. CLIFTON WEsooT'r, WILHELM RAAG. 

